YouTube Kids, which is YouTube’s free app dedicated to family-friendly content, has been known to cause concerns among parents–particularly around its auto-play feature and seemingly weak video guardrails.
One pediatrician and mother of three who goes by Dr. Shilpa on Instagram shared her concerns about YouTube Kids, bringing attention to the lack of monitoring on the app. She advises parents not to allow their kids to use the app without adjusting the settings manually, due to a lot of not-so-child-friendly content that’s being viewed.
Other Parents Shared Similar Concerns
The comments of Dr. Shilpa’s post are full of parents chiming in with their own questionable experiences with the app.
“Legit. Tried YouTube kids during the pandemic and the content was bizarre and I found myself intervening too much,” writes one person. “The potential value wasn’t worth the effort to oversee. We use PBS Kids (free app!) and PokPok instead”.
Another person comments, “I deleted YouTube and YouTube kids from my devices. My daughter was watching cat videos and I was in the bathroom and as I came out I heard guns shooting and it was a fake paw patrol.”
In 2023, news articles emerged about fake Bluey episodes circulating online. The creepy episodes featured uncannily similar characters to the ones we know, but without the wholesome storylines.
In one fake episode, counterfeit “Bluey” and “Bingo” fake an illness to cover getting bad grades at school. In another, counterfeit “Bingo” eats feces. Then there’s “Wolfoo”, the knockoff version of Peppa Pig who heavily promotes sneaky and inappropriate behavior with a lot of yelling and fighting.
Many parents also say the content on YouTube Kids falls within the boundaries of “brain rotting”–with repetitive, addictive toy opening videos, typically on faceless channels that provide no engaging, educational, or entertainment value.
How does this happen?
Titania Jordan, Author of Parental Control and Chief Parent Officer at Bark Technologies, explains that any channel can mark their videos as “for kids” if they meet YouTube’s criteria. While repeat offenders and malicious actors do get suspended or banned, many manage to skirt the rules temporarily by using popular keywords and benign–looking thumbnails.
“Creators must select whether their content is “made for kids” under guidelines established after changes in COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) enforcement,” Jordan explains. “However, YouTube relies heavily on creators’ self-reporting. If a channel incorrectly or dishonestly labels its content, the system initially treats it as kid-friendly unless flags or user complaints prove otherwise.”
She further explains that YouTube (including YouTube Kids) primarily uses machine learning tools to scan and categorize videos. Because it’s so extensive, human moderators can’t feasibly screen each upload in real time.
“As a result, problematic videos can remain on the app until they’re flagged. Because so much new material is uploaded daily, the screening processes are always playing catch-up,” she says.
The Dangers of Unmonitored Content on Apps Like YouTube Kids
Kim Van Dusen, LMFT, RPT, and known as “The Parentologist”, believes a misconception parents have about YouTube Kids is that it’s safety lies in its initial design and marketing.
“Even with some parental controls, some content that appears harmless might be contributing to significant behavior and mood challenges,” she explains. “Some shows may even lead to poor role-modeling of behavior based on their favorite characters, leading to imitation of negative behaviors.”
More so, she says without boundaries, extreme media use can lead to altered moods, hindered sleep, classroom or work performance issues, lower attention spans, and increased mental health challenges like anxiety and depression.
“Unmonitored screen time for children can also lead to an increase in cyberbullying, pornography, erratic and disruptive behavior, and exposure to traumatic content that is not age appropriate,” she adds.
Jordan agrees saying, “While the app is designed to filter out inappropriate content, there is still a possibility that some videos may slip through the screening process.”
She explains some videos evade filters by using popular kid-friendly characters or keywords (e.g., superheroes, animated figures). This is sometimes referred to as “Elsagate”-type content—where the thumbnail or characters appear child-appropriate, but the actual video includes disturbing or inappropriate scenes.
Equally, Jordan notes not all videos labeled “educational” are produced by qualified educators.
“Another potential danger of YouTube Kids is that it can be a source of addiction to digital media,” Jordan says. “The app is designed to be entertaining and engaging, often serving children toy unboxings, sponsored content or commercial videos, blurring the lines between entertainment and ads. Even short videos strung together can be addictive when watched for hours on end. We highly encourage parents to set limits on their child’s usage of the app and ensure that their child is engaging in a variety of activities throughout the day.”
What Parents Can Do
Dr. Shilpa’s method highlighted in her Instagram post makes it easy for parents to approve content for their child:
- Create a YouTube Kids account.
- Select “settings” in the YouTube Kids app.
- Enter your passcode or complete the multiplication problem.
- Select your child’s profile (create before hand).
- Select “Edit Settings” -> “Approved Content Only” -> “Add or Remove Videos”
- Add the videos or channels you approve (make sure you’re adding official channels)
One parent thanked Dr. Shilpa in he comments, noting, “I set up YouTube kids and set it for preschool thinking it would show age appropriate things. Nope, caught a lot of bizarre videos. And I kept blocking videos but couldn’t figure out how to better control the content. So thank you for the instructions.”
“Parents should be actively involved in what their child is watching, monitoring the content, limiting the content, and then having discussions about what was watched, Dr. Kim advises. “These boundaries are not meant to restrict or keep children in a bubble, but keep the content they are being exposed to at their developmental level.”
Dr. Kim also reminds parents that if a child is exposed to inappropriate content, a conversation should take place about the family’s values, what was seen, and what would have been more appropriate. “A child cannot unsee inappropriate content, but they can discuss the “why” behind the content.”
Jordan adds parents should, “Use the built-in parental settings in YouTube Kids to block specific channels or videos, set time limits, and age ranges. Adjust these settings based on your child’s maturity level and the kinds of content you find acceptable.”
She also suggests making “curated playlists from educators, museums, or other well-known institutions. Subscribing to these can reduce exposure to random or potentially inappropriate recommendations.”
Aside from just “policing” your child’s content, taking an interest in what they’re drawn to and engaging with them about it can also go a long way, experts point out.
This practice will spark meaningful conversations with your child that will help you make informed viewing decisions.
